Steam hose coupling



Aug, 15, 1950 Filed July 21, 1948 fica. 2

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' BY fksazfl/wm Patented Aug. 15, 1J50 f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE V2,518,542

STEAM nose COUPLING Fred E. Hansen, Lakewood, Ohio Application July 21,1948, Serial No. 39,981

2 Claims. 285-169) This invention relates to improvements in steam hosecouplings, that is to say couplings for steam lines where in a givenline at least one of the steam conductors to be coupled together is"flexible, and more especially a coupling of this character the twomembers of which may be quickly connected or disconnected.

Orie of the objects of the invention is the provision of a coupling ofthe character stated einbodying convenient means for quick connection ordisconnection while retaining excellent sealing properties when theconnection is made.

Another object is the provision of. meansfor adjusting the degree ofcompression applied to the packing when the members of the coupling arebrought into connected position and held therein by quick acting detentmeans.

Other objects and features of novelty will appear as I proceed with thedescription of that embodiment of the invention which, for the purposesof the present application, I have illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which Fig. l is an elevational view, partly in longitudinalsection, of the unassembled coupling, and

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view with the parts assembled.

In the drawing the female member of the coupling is shown at It, beingprovided with an internal thread II for connection with a pipe or otherconductor, not shown. Member Ill is externally threaded for part of itslength, as at l2, to receive a lock nut l3 and an internally threadedsocket body I4. Member III has an internal cylindrical end recess I5machined therein with a beveled shoulder I6.

A male member or hollow plug I1 is externally threaded at It! forconnection with a steam hose or other conductor, not shown. At itsforward end it has a constriction l9 terminating with a beveled shoulder20, the angle of which may be complementary to the angle of beveledshoulder Hi. The external diameter of the constriction I9 issubstantially the same as the internal diameter of the female member I0.

Somewhat to the rear of the constricted forward end of member I! thereis an annular groove 2| with beveled side walls which are adapted toreceive ball detents 22, of which there may be three or more evenlyspaced apart. These balls are carried in conical holes 23 formed in thewall of the socket body l4 near the inner extremity thereof. The smallends of these conical holes being slightly smaller in diameter than theballs 22, the latter are held against movement radially inward furtherthan as shown in the drawing.

Normally the balls 22 are held in their illustrated position by thesmall diameter end portion 24 of a slidable sleeve 25 which is mountedon the socket body [4. After assembly upon the socket body sleeve 25 isheld against movement to the right as viewed in the drawing by a snapring 26, and the sleeve normally is resiliently held against this ringby a coil spring 2'! bearing atone end against a shoulder on the socketbody and at the other end against the small diameter end portion 24 ofthe sleeve. The latter is provided with an annular recess 28 having aradial dimension sufficient to permit the balls 22 to be forced back outof the bore of the socket body l4 when the sleeve 25 is drawn back asfar as it will go against the action of spring 21.

A cylinder packing, preferably formed of pressed, graphited asbestos andhaving tapered end walls conforming with the bevels l6 and 2|], ismounted in the recess l5 of the female member. I prefer to form thispacking in two equal rings 29, as shown. Such wear as may occur willaffect only the outer ring and that ring only will need replacement.

When the two separated parts of the coupling illustrated in Fig. 1 areto be united as in Fig. 2, the operator pulls back the sleeve 25,compressing spring 21 and bringing recess 28 into radial alignmentsubstantially with the balls 22. He then projects the constricted part I9 of the male member into the bore of the socket body. When the beveledsurface 20 of the male member strikes the balls they are cammedoutwardly into the recess 28. At the same time the constricted part l9slides into the packing rings 28 which it engages rather snugly. Theoperator may now release sleeve 25 which however will be prevented fromreturning to normal position because of the engagement of the balls 22with the beveled wall surface of recess 28. Continued inward pressure ofthe male member will bring the annular groove 2! into radial alignmentwith the balls 22, whereupon the beveled wall surface of recess 28,acting under the pressure of spring 21, will force the balls inwardlyinto firm engagement with the forward beveled wall of groove 2|. In themeantime the packing rings 29 have been compressed between the beveledsurfaces l6 and 2lJ and the walls of the acute angled tapers at theremote ends of the packing rings are jammed into correspondingly shapedangles between the constricted end [9 of the male member and the bevelI6 on the one hand and betweeen the internal wall of the recess I5 andthe bevel 20 on the other hand. An excellent seal results withoutbringing heavy pressure to bear. The degree of compression of thepacking is readily controlled by threading the socket body I4 inwardlyor outwardly of the female member l0, thereby varying the pressureexerted by the balls 22 against the forward beveled wall of groove 2|.The nut l3 serves as a jam not to hold the socket body in adjustedposition.i;:Adji1stment is necessaryat infrequent intervals "only. 7

Having thus described my invention, I claim;

threaded on said female memberand overhanging-saidmale member, balldetent-means between said male member and the overhanging 1. In acoupling for a steam line, male and w portion of said socket member, anda spring female members, said female member having-ran pressedsislidablesleeve normally locking said internal end recess, an annular packing insaid 1 detent means in operative position and retracrecess engaging theinner surface and endasdrr table' to permit separation of said couplingmem- 'face of the recess, said male memhen .-having.,a t, bers the-.adjustment of said socket body serving constricted end portion adaptedto engage the to control the position of said detent means inner surfaceand opposite end surface of.-said:-.1;i' longitudinally of the couplingand the consepacking, an annular socket body adjustably 20 quentcompression of said packing, and said threaded-ion said:fema-iel-membenrandsoverhang-'- I beveled-lzshouldert functioning tocamhsaid balls detent ..means,t. outwardly when said a sleeve retracted,and. said ,malesmemben is. .inserted.into. s

said 'socketrbody andra SPI'iBQ PIGSSQdgWJ saidzfemaletmemberwleevewnormallyn'lockingn-saiddetent; 5

meansrnn operative :position andaretractablefito permit separation ofsaid scoupling membersgth, adjustment :of@ Saldi'SOCkBEcbOG-Y servingto; contro theipositionxofi said detentzzmeansalcngitudinally,, of thencouplingsandwthe conseduent=compression of saidrpackingnwhe FREDE;HANSENQ;

REFERENCESZCITED I The: fc1lowing.;-1:e,f erencesnare lot. record-21111then. file -011thisxzpatentzr;

said,members-Tare forcedtm UNITED STATES PATENTS intoecouplingwrelation.Number Named 4 Date,

female:;members-, =said female member .-ha,ving,an 1,873,304 Mooy.i sAug; 23', T1932;

Scheiwers Nov.i1,;1'938""";.:'

internal iendvrecess .-with a beveledashoulder,: said -as ;;;3, 3 2.M

